Lowe’s the home improvement retailer was one of the key advertisers on a reality show called All American Muslim, on TLC the cable channel. The show profiles five ordinary American Muslim families.

This was too much for the Florida Family Association (FFA), which pushed Lowe’s to pull its ads from the program. The FFA said the show “hides the Islamic agenda’s clear and present danger.”

Lowe’s pulled the advertising and apologized for having “managed to make some people very unhappy.” Now Ted Lieu, a Californian state senator says he is considering calling for a boycott, branding Lowe’s decision “un-American”.

With over 25,000 comments on Lowe’s Facebook page calling Lowe’s cowardly and others angry that they were advertising at all, this is now officially a mess.

The PR Verdict: “C Minus” for Lowe’s. This tricky situation could have been avoided.

Lowe’s pressed the panic button too early. By pulling the ads they handed the FFA a needless and unjustified victory. The priority now is to get the senator on side. Organise a roundtable with the backing of TLC the broadcaster, the senator, the FFA and spokespeople for American Muslims. Have TLC profile the meeting on its Facebook pages and Lowe’s own and then close the chapter as quickly as possible. In future, next time a pressure group like the FFA comes knocking, doing nothing is always an option.